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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27960563">A Short Reprieve</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Knight_of_Roses/pseuds/The_Knight_of_Roses'>The_Knight_of_Roses</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Steven Universe (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Fluff, Gen, flexible interpretation of week prompts</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 14:22:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,984</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27960563</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Knight_of_Roses/pseuds/The_Knight_of_Roses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After a crushing defeat, Rose convinces Pearl to go on an impromptu (and ill advised) break from the rebellion to spend time with one another. </p>
<p>Made for Pearlrose week 2020</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Pearl/Rose Quartz (Steven Universe)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Bold Gesture</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Crystal Gems’ camp was a lot more quiet than usual, most of the gems were engaging in idle chatter or standing around. Pearl stayed inside her tent, brainstorming new ideas for potential targets for the Rebellion, only emerging when sparring with Bismuth or one of the quartzes. There had been a lull in activity over the past few weeks as the most recent attack against the Diamond Authority was an abject failure, Yellow had sent way more troops than she had indicated to Rose in her Pink Diamond disguise.  Some of the slower-to-reform gems were still being looked after. Rose tried her best to instill a sense of morale in the group, but much to Rose’s chagrin it became very clear that only time would be able to get the Crystal Gems back to fighting shape. This small break in the Rebellion didn’t stop Pearl, however, from working herself ragged trying to find a potential winning battle. Rose walked into her tent to see her, hair messy, exhausted. The floor of her tent was filled with rejected plans and a large holopad with nearly incomprehensible numbers written on it. Currently carving something down on a mixture of tablets as well as smaller holopads, Pearl was too focused to hear Rose come in. The paler gem was mumbling something to herself as Rose coughed into her hand.</p>
<p>“Oh! Rose, I didn’t hear you come in, did you come to hear what I’ve been working on, granted it’s still in its very rough stages but Yellow told you she was sending a few dropships to “help out” with defeating us, maybe we could wait for them and spring a trap, the only issue is that we have no idea where they’re supposed to land, that’s why I’ve outlined a few spots in the surrounding areas that could be where we want to go, and...”</p>
<p>“Pearl, don’t you think you should rest, you’ve been hard at work for so long...which I appreciate! But everyone’s worried about you…” Rose looked up to meet Pearl’s eyes, “...I’m worried about you.”</p>
<p>“What’s there to be worried about, all we need is one victory to raise our spirits around here, we can’t afford to wait around! Anyway, I feel fine.”</p>
<p>Rose wanted to intervene and have Pearl relax, but she didn’t want to assert her authority to do that, certainly not to Pearl. It appears that no matter what she tried Rose just couldn’t be the leader everyone needed during this time. She needed a break, between a losing battle on Earth and having to deal with her fellow diamonds on Homeworld. The only time she felt truly free was during her first visit to earth with…</p>
<p>“Pearl!” Rose spoke finally, grabbing Pearl by the shoulders “I have an idea! We can visit those places you mentioned, just the two of us!”</p>
<p>“I don’t know Rose,” Pearl looked away from the stars in Rose’s eyes for a moment, “is it really such a good idea to leave everyone else here? What if something happens, what if a fight breaks out, what if the diamonds find out where we are, what if???”</p>
<p>Rose scoffed, “Garnet will be here! If anything comes up in her future vision, she’ll let us know. It will be nice, just you and me.”</p>
<p>A deep teal blush made its way across Pearl’s face, and she nervously rubbed her arm, “Well...I suppose...if Garnet will be here...and Bismuth and Snowflake can more than handle themselves…”</p>
<p>  “Pearl!” Rose squealed with delight and scooped Pearl up, swinging her around, giggling.</p>
<p>“Rose, someone might hear us,” Pearl whispered, as her blush became three shades deeper.</p>
<p>“Don’t be silly, my terrifying renegade.” Rose waved her hands towards all of the assorted items scattered around the tent; “Why don’t you put those plans in your gem and we can get going! What was that you said, oh right, ‘we can’t afford to wait around!’”</p>
<p>“I suppose, but Rose?”</p>
<p>“Yes, my Pearl?”</p>
<p>“Would you mind putting me down for a moment first?”</p>
<p>Rose looked down to see Pearl held close to her chest, almost completely blue. “Oh! right.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Bath</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rose takes Pearl somewhere special to help her relax</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Pearl and Rose traveled for about a day before making their way near the first place on Pearl’s list, a much colder area than where their camp was set up. After a while, Rose began to recognize the area, as she had stumbled across it a while ago.</p><p>“Pearl!” Rose grabbed Pearl’s hand and pointed over to a clearing,  “Let’s go over this way. There’s a wonderful place I found some time ago. It’s quite relaxing.”</p><p>“I don’t know Rose,” Pearl mumbled to herself, completely unaware of what Rose had said, “maybe this isn’t the best place for any Homeworld ships to land, there are too many trees around. Maybe we should keep moving.”</p><p>“It’s getting dark Pearl, we can get going when the sun rises, let me show you that spot.”</p><p>Pearl stopped for a moment, confused, and then she shrugged, “lead the way.”</p><p>“One last thing!” Rose walked up to Pearl and put her hands over Pearl’s eyes, “No peeking, it’s a surprise!”</p><p>After a while, it became clear to Rose that she wasn’t quite sure of where exactly the spot was, jerking Pearl around for a while. “Was it this way...no, over here...hmmm.”</p><p>“Rose...Woah, are you sure you know where you’re going?” Pearl tried her best to keep her balance moving across the bumpy terrain.</p><p>“Of course I do!” Rose said as she quickly lifted Pearl up over a large rock in their path. “We’re just about there,” Rose laughed sheepishly.</p><p>After way too long, the moon fully visible in the night sky, Rose finally saw the pool of warm water near a mountainside, steam coming off it, highlighting the snow covering the cliffside. Rose removed her hands from Pearl’s eyes, “we’re here! Isn’t it wonderful?” She gestured towards the pool with both arms.</p><p>Pearl seemed confused at the sight of it, “what is it, it looks like water?”</p><p>“It’s more than just water, it’s called a ‘hot spring’, and it occurs naturally, no human intervention, just another of the Earth’s wonders.” Rose slowly made her way into the spring, feeling the warmth sweep across her.</p><p>“I don’t know Rose, do we really have the time?”</p><p>“You’ve been working so hard my Pearl, don’t you think you’ve earned the right to relax just for a short time?”</p><p>“Well...I,” Pearl stuttered as she asked herself the same question, rubbing the back of her neck nervously.</p><p>“When was the last time we got to be together like this? Just the two of us and the wonders of the Earth?” Rose put her head in her arms over the side of the hot spring, looking towards Pearl wistfully, “It feels like forever ago.”</p><p>Pearl sighed and faced away from Rose, speaking softly “we’ve been so busy with this war, and having to hide our double roles on Homeworld from everyone else, even Garnet! Even when we’re by ourselves as a Diamond and her Pearl, we still have all that to deal with...I do miss those days when we first came to this planet.”</p><p>“And I miss you, Pearl.” Upon hearing this Pearl turned towards Rose, a blush appearing on her cheek, “This war has been a lot, so shouldn’t we take whatever time we have to enjoy ourselves...” Rose held out her hand for Pearl to take, “...just for a few moments?”</p><p>Pearl sighed and smiled fondly, “Oh alright, just for a while.”</p><p>Pearl reached out to take Rose’s hand, and immediately Rose grabbed it and pulled Pearl close to her chest, accompanied by a large splash of warm water.</p><p>Rose grinned from ear to ear, “isn’t this just wonderful?” She held Pearl close as if she were to let her go, Pearl would float away from her.</p><p>“It is.” Pearl leaned back against Rose, her head rested against her chest.</p><p>It was calming for a while, but her mind couldn’t help but wander to less happy times, she would often stand at the bottom of a similar heated pool in Blue’s chambers in Homeworld, entertaining the other Diamonds with her song. She tried to remove these thoughts from her mind as she looked upon Pearl’s blissful expression, as her fingers began to run through Pearl’s peach hair. She had always loved playing with Pearl’s hair and was elated to be able to spend this time together with her, for the first time in what felt like centuries, there was no way that she was going to let memories ruin that. After a while, Pearl looked back up at Rose.</p><p>“I’m glad you suggested this,” she said as she lifted the curls off of Rose’s eye, tangling her fingers in the ringlets.</p><p>“I am too” Rose leaned down to bring their lips together in a kiss.</p><p>Pearl changed her position so that her nose touched Rose’s, her eyes closed as she brought their foreheads together,  a slight hum coming from her lips, “This is much better than battle planning, I must say, but do you know what’s even better?” Pearl cooed as she closed the already small gap between them.</p><p>Rose blushed a deep red, “oh?”</p><p>Pearl threw her arms around Rose and brought her in for a slow kiss as she made herself eye to eye with Rose as they parted. “Would you like to see?”</p><p>Rose was ecstatic, she loved when Pearl was so forward like this “Oh absolutely,” she said as the pair melted into another kiss.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Endless Honeymoon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Pearl and Rose enjoy Earth's beauties</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Pearl had slept for the first time in a long time, Rose made the perfect pillow, some of her curls could be seen draped across Pearl’s face as they lay cuddled together a few feet away from the hot springs that they spent the night in. Pearl tried to get up and walk around, but Rose’s arms were holding her tightly to her chest. Turning around Pearl placed a kiss against Rose’s nose and stroked her cheek with the back of her hand.</p>
<p>Rose leaned into Pearl’s touch, and moved her hand against her lips, and kissed them tenderly. “Good morning, my Pearl.” Rose held PEarl’s hand to her cheek and pressed their foreheads together with a contented hum.</p>
<p>“Good morning Rose,” Pearl pressed their lips together for short, repeated kisses.</p>
<p>When their lips parted Rose leaned in and slowly leaned away.</p>
<p>“What’s wrong, Rose?” Pearl could see the solemn expression on her face as she rubbed her thumb along the larger gem’s cheek.</p>
<p>“Last night was such fun, it would be a shame to see it end so soon.”</p>
<p>Pearl cupped Rose’s cheeks with her hands, turning her face towards her own. “What if it didn’t end...at least not yet.”</p>
<p>“Are you sure Pearl? What about your plan?”</p>
<p>“The plan can wait, just for a few days, it’s as you said, we deserve a break!”</p>
<p>Rose scooped Pearl up into a tight bear hug, “Oh, Pearl!” She planted a kiss against Pearl’s cheek, “What were you thinking?”</p>
<p>“We can see what Earth has to offer, just like when we first got here! No diamonds, no war, just the two of us.”</p>
<p>Rose set Pearl down and linked their arms together, “Lead the way, My Pearl.”</p>
<p>Descending the mountain, Pearl was able to spot a lovely grove of flowers in a nearby forest. Rose wandered off while Pearl was admiring them. A few moments later, Rose stuck her head out from behind a tree and told Pearl to close her eyes, which she did. Pearl felt something being placed on top of her head and the soft sensation of Rose’s kiss on her cheek.</p>
<p>“Ok, you can open them now!”</p>
<p>Pearl looked up and saw a small arrangement of flowers arranged in a wreath above her head, she turned behind her to see Rose, as radiant as ever, giggling softly to herself as she pointed at a similar arrangement on her own head. After admiring her for a moment, to mimic what Rose had done the last night, she held out her hand for Rose to grab. Once she did Pearl pulled her down on top of her into the bed of flowers, the both of them laughing.</p>
<p>As the night fell, the two watched all of the stars in the sky.</p>
<p>“Ooh, Pearl! A shooting star!” following Rose’s finger, Pearl too saw the light fly across the sky.</p>
<p>“It’s much nicer seeing this from here than stuck in that stuffy old moon base isn’t it.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, it is.” Rose had a hint of sadness in her voice.</p>
<p>Pearl hadn’t meant to upset her, but she wanted to remedy it. Standing up, Pearl extended her hand once more for Rose to take. “Rose, can I have this dance?”</p>
<p>Rose gasped, her eyes filled with stars, “Always, My Pearl.”</p>
<p>Pearl took Rose’s hands and led her in a dance, their feet moved in tandem like they had been practicing for years. Every once in a while Pearl would twirl Rose around and match the rhythm once more. After a while Pearl suddenly dipped Rose down, her eyes once again sparkling with the stars, her cheeks a bright red. Pearl pulled her back up into a kiss.</p>
<p>Their lips parted slowly and the pair embraced, beginning another, much slower dance, their heads on the other shoulders, as the night went on, they continued to hold each other close in a dance to no music, as the sun rose back into the sky.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Self Worth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Pearl and Rose discuss the recent loss and how to move forward</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As the new day dawned the two remained on their backs in the small bed of flowers. Looking at Rose’s content expression almost made Pearl forget about the worries plaguing her, she couldn’t help but think back to the rest of the rebellion. Her mind started to race as she tried to imagine what was going on back at the camp.</p><p>How are they holding up? Have they emerged yet? Was everyone safe? Garnet can handle the rebellion in their absence, right? What if we get back and everyone’s gone!? Maybe I made the wrong choice leaving.”</p><p> The worry got to her, and surely Rose was able to tell that something was wrong. Pearl wished that she could last even a full day without worrying about the worst-case scenario.</p><p>“I hope everyone’s ok,” Pearl finally spoke, “We’ve been gone quite a while.”</p><p>“Do you want to go back?” Rose’s smile melted away into concern.</p><p>“It’s not that I’m not enjoying myself, I think this is just what I needed. What happened the last time with us being outnumbered, we were able to collect most of the cracked gems, but we still lost so many.” Her facade of happiness began to slip as her mind went to those that they had lost, many great soldiers who they will never see again, tears welling up in her eyes, she continued, “We can’t take much more of this, I should have done better.”</p><p>“You did the best you could Pearl, you couldn’t have known that there’d be reinforcements.” Rose placed her hand on Pearl’s shoulder.</p><p>“I don’t want them to lose faith in us, I don’t want them to lose faith in me...it's already taken so long to prove to some of them that I’m not just some pearl.” Her hand began to shake, and Pearl couldn’t stop it.</p><p>Rose pulled Pearl close to her, “Nobody thinks that….you’ve proven yourself time and time again, not every mission is going to end in success, or at least, that’s what the quartzes say. Without you, we wouldn’t have even tried in the first place, I would have just been sitting up in the moon base looking at that silly monitor. Anybody knows that you’re as much a leader to everyone as I am, maybe even better than that!”</p><p>Pearl laughed a little bit and wiped a tear from her eye, “Thank you Rose, but how are you? This can’t be easy for you either.”</p><p>“No need to worry about me, I just want you to know that you don’t need to be worried, if any of the other gems try to say anything, you’ll show them who’s boss...I know you want to go back, but how about just one more day?”</p><p>Pearl wanted to ask Rose again to see what was wrong, as she had looked sort of sad as Pearl spoke, but Rose didn’t often divulge what she was thinking, but Pearl had gotten very good at telling when something was wrong over the years.</p><p>“Sure, I’ll try to save the worrying for when we get back to camp.”</p><p>Rose brightened back up, “That’s my Pearl!” She scooped Pearl up and swung her around, the both of them laughing. Rose tossed Pearl into the air, and as she caught her again, a gleam of light erupted from their gems, and at that moment, the two that were there before became one.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Fusing... A Lot</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Pearl and Rose aren't the only ones who can enjoy this break, its Rainbow's turn!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>What a relief it was for Rainbow to be here again, this time with less combat and more of the crisp air. The sensation of the undisturbed grass against her feet as she ran through the forest was more than enough to propel her, and make her feel alive. She was positive this is what she was meant to be, an expression of pure joy and freedom, not a secret weapon on a battlefield. Laughing continuously, the fusion had no real location in mind, if she just ran for a while it would be enough for her.</p><p>After a few miles of running, she stumbled across a forest filled with rose bushes in full bloom the invigorating feeling of the fresh dew on the grass and the sight of the flowers for which one of her components was named reminded her of the time she first came into being, if only for a few moments. The sheer spontaneity of Pearl’s act of attempted fusion, mixed with the shock that they got as close as they did. Rainbow remembered these emotions as if she felt them herself.</p><p>Her mind wandered to when Pearl and Rose gave it another shot. After coming at Garnet with numerous questions about how to do it, reenacting Garnet’s story as literally as possible, resulting in sore foreheads and many tumbles down hills. What finally succeeded wasn’t an intense declaration, nor was it putting one or the other in danger. Pearl and Rose had just wanted to show off, and before they knew it, they had become her, in the midst of the pouring rain. She had stuck around for a while after that, getting her name from the remarkable vision in the sky when the rains had fallen. Its many colors, as well as its spontaneous arrival enraptured her, so much so that she had slipped on a leaf and landed as Rose and Pearl once more trying to catch up to it. The two gems would fuse multiple times after this, enjoying the fact that they could toss Garnet around and take in all of the many sensations that there were to be had in this new world she found herself in. Rose’s responsibilities and Pearl’s nerves could wait, for now, Rainbow would enjoy all of the time that she had to feel the flowing water, smell the roses and sing whatever came into her mind. The fusion, thinking of this began to dance,  frequently jumping up into the air spinning around, reveling in her own existence, not paying attention to any of the stress inside her two components or anything outside of her own amusement. This revelry didn’t last long as soon after, Rainbow absentmindedly pirouetted into a nearby tree.</p><p>“Ow!” The two gems exclaimed in unison rubbed their heads as they collapsed into a pile.</p><p>Pearl groaned, “Why is it that when Rainbow’s around we always end up falling down.”</p><p>Rose sighed, “sometimes I wish I had her carefree attitude.”</p><p>With that, it was time to head back to camp.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Free Day (Epilogue)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Many years later Pearl and Rose enjoy a night alone</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Pearl just couldn’t keep track of her, Amethyst was always getting into places, whether it was that human friend of Greg’s, or in Greg’s van watching that awful butler show, or some other nook. Usually all it took was for Pearl to follow the trail of half eaten human trash or raw sea creatures. Pearl massaged her temples as she let out a loud groan. How come Garnet never had to wrangle her.  </p><p>“I’ll go find her,” Garnet walked by the warp pad, almost as if reading her thoughts.</p><p>Pearl lay down flat on her back, looking at the stars as a large shadow eclipsed her view.</p><p>“Enjoying yourself my Pearl?” Rose giggled as she looked down upon Pearl with a smile on her face.</p><p>Pearl sighed once more as she looked fondly upon Rose’s face, the moonlight shining down upon her caused her to look more beautiful than any star in the sky. “I am now.”</p><p>Rose sat down on the pad next to Pearl, who immediately moved herself so that her head was resting on Rose’s lap. Rose began to run her hands through Pearl’s hair, sometimes leaning down to place soft kisses on her forehead and gem. Pearl rested her eyes for a moment, just enjoying the sensations.</p><p>After a few moments of uninterrupted silence Rose finally spoke up “I assume Amethyst got out again?”</p><p>Pearl opened her eyes once more, “It’s Garnet’s turn to get her.” She sat up, reminded that Rose’s return often brought Greg with her, which caused her to scowl “That...human isn’t with you is he?”</p><p>“Not tonight. I guess it’s just the two of us for the time being.” Rose met Pearl’s eyes, “Do you want to walk on the beach with me?”</p><p>“I do.”</p><p>***</p><p>Rose listened intently as Pearl complained about Amethyst scaring some townsfolk in the nearby city. She felt fortunate to be able to share these moments with her, even though she was out with Greg more often. She hoped that Pearl and Greg would get along better. After how the war ended, she was relieved that Pearl and Garnet were still around, and Amethyst’s arrival helped ease some of Rose’s own doubts about everything, she reveled in the opportunity to bring up a gem completely separate from Homeworld’s viewpoint. The other diamonds thought she was dead, which was more than fine with her, but the fallout from it was sometimes too much for Rose to bear. But with Pearl here, maybe everything will turn out fine, for now at least. Pearl must have realized that she was preoccupied with other things because she had stopped talking and looked at Rose with an expression of worry.</p><p>“Is everything ok Rose?”</p><p>“Yes my Pearl, everything is just fine.”</p><p>The two of them sat down on the beach, Pearl was looking at her face, with a smile that Rose hadn’t seen in too long. Her mind wandered to that night underneath the stars during their trip away during the war. Rose stood up as she extended her hand towards Pearl, who looked up at her with some confusion.</p><p>“It’s been too long, will you dance with me my Pearl?”</p><p>Pearl took her outstretched hand, “do you even need to ask?”</p><p>Rose pulled Pearl to her feet and began to dance, Rose leading Pearl’s footsteps through the damp sand on the riverfront. It didn’t take long for their dance to turn into slow swaying, Rose’s arm around Pearl’s waist, and her other hand in Pearl’s. After a while, they stopped dancing and began looking out at the rising sun over the sea, their arms linked, Pearl’s head resting against her shoulder. No matter what changes, no matter what happens, Rose would always be grateful to have Pearl here with her. As the sun rose in the sky, they knew everything was going to be alright, at least for a while.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you to everyone who read this and enjoyed it!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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